


An Apple and A Caramel Something

by mansikka



Series: The Cafe at the Edge of the Multiverse [2]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-24 21:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19731982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Nico and Levi need to shelter from a storm.





	An Apple and A Caramel Something

"Quick! In here!"

Levi laughs for Nico's yell and the way he tugs on his fingers dragging him into the first place they come across that's open. They slip across the floor of a cafe almost skidding into the table nearest to the door, dripping water everywhere. There is a waitress sliding coffees and plates of sandwiches on to a table nearby, who only slightly side-eyes them for their mess. Levi catches the name _Alyssa_ on her name badge as he takes a step, and almost slips again when he waves in apology.

"Sorry," Levi blurts out to the man sat at the table as he rights himself, taking Nico's hand and clearing his throat.

"Over here?"

Levi follows Nico across the cafe and slumps down gratefully into a chair after taking off his jacket to drape over a spare chair to their side. "Well, that came out of nowhere."

This is their first road trip together, and their second day away from Seattle. They're taking turns for driving, though Nico is a far happier long distance driver than Levi will ever be; they've worked that out already. Tonight they have a hotel booked in this small town just north of Denver, and were looking for somewhere to eat for later when the rain started. Though from the way the rain is falling, maybe room service or the hotel's own restaurant might be a wiser idea. Even if _restaurant_ is too strong a word; Levi remembers it looking like little more than a very clean diner.

"The weather didn't even say we'd have rain," Nico agrees, flicking at the sleeve of his jacket and then guiltily glancing over at the waitress for it, for making more _mess_. He stands quickly and drops a kiss on Levi's cheek, mumbling that he'll _be back soon_.

Levi is tracing his finger over the window following the cascade of raindrops when Nico returns from the bathroom, taking over by drawing a heart in the condensation on the glass. Yes, he is a sap, and Levi loves him for it, squeezing his hand against the table once Nico has settled. While Alyssa is holding in an exasperated sigh for knowing she'll have to wipe the window free of fingerprints _yet again_.

"Hello," she says brightly, and though Levi and Nico have caused minor chaos since arriving, her greeting comes with a genuine smile. "Do you need a minute to think?"

"Uh, no? I think we're good," Nico says, darting his gaze to Levi and reeling off their usual coffee orders.

"And something sweet," Levi adds, trapping Nico's thumb beneath his own.

"Anything in particular?" Alyssa asks, grasping her pen and pad against her stomach and nodding towards the counter.

"Uh… anything apple for me," Nico says. "Pie. Cake. I don't mind."

"Caramel for me."

"So an apple something, and a caramel something," Alyssa repeats, lingering to see if they want anything else, and when they don't, spinning away on her heel.

"Looks like this is on for a while," Nico says, looking out of the window with a grimace. He drops his grip on Levi's hand only to play with his fingers, smiling when he turns back to him.

"It does. I can't believe it's raining on our vacation already."

"Maybe it's lucky."

"Maybe."

"Just means we have to do other things. That involve not being outside," Nico adds with a wink that never fails to put a jolt in Levi's stomach.

"Works for me."

"You promised you wouldn't even _say_ the word work…"

"I didn't mean we had to _do_ any work," Levi retorts, and because this is their vacation, he leans across the table to kiss Nico. Though why does he have to wait until they're on vacation? He's done this enough times at work on the rare occasions they share breaks to be oblivious to the snorts and hollers that tend to follow from their colleagues.

"Good," Nico replies, tapping his finger on the back of Levi's hand when he goes to pull back and stealing yet another kiss.

"So. Yellowstone tomorrow?" Levi says when he sits back grinning helplessly, slotting his fingers through Nico's against the table.

They don't have firm plans for this two-week vacation, though there are a number of places they want to see. Yellowstone is on the list, with Nico already having a long list of things he plans on seeing and doing there. Levi's already looked up the gift shops there searching for the perfect stuffed toy for Nico, wanting to get him one ever since Nico told him about a toy wolf he'd had as a kid.

"Yes," Nico says, and once again starts chattering about _geysers_ , and _falls_ , and more animals than Levi can currently remember. He's happy to sit and listen to him as he speaks, loving how excited he gets.

"Here you go."

Nico and Levi sit back for Alyssa's arrival to give her room for their coffee and cake. Nico has a thick wedge of apple pie and ice cream, while Levi's dessert is making his mouth water just for looking at it, even if he isn't sure what it is.

"That's a Nutella-filled salted caramel blondie," Alyssa tells him when she sees him looking. "I had two pieces already, so, you get the biggest piece to save me from myself."

"It looks amazing. Thank you."

"No problem," Alyssa replies with a warm smile for them both, "enjoy."

"You think they make them on site?" Nico asks as he picks up a fork, with an idle nod towards the counter.

"Maybe there's a kitchen out back." Levi doesn't really care though, already tucking into his blondie. Nico clears his throat and nods towards his plate making Levi pretend to roll his eyes and scooping up a forkful that he feeds him.

"Thank you," Nico says around his mouthful, followed by, "damn, that's good."

"Amazing."

"Here. Try this," Nico says, slicing through his pie without even trying it himself before holding a scoop out for Levi to bite into.

The crust is perfect, and the filling just the right side of sweet. It's almost as good as his mom's. "Also amazing."

"We picked a good place. Or, the rain did."

The rain which is just getting heavier. As they eat their desserts and discuss their trip so far, Levi notices puddles beginning to form on the sidewalk by their window. The sky only seems to be getting darker; he is the first to jump for the flash of lightning that's quickly followed by a deep rumble of thunder.

"Guess we're staying here a while," Nico says as he takes a sip of his coffee. He's distracted by a scratch in the table that he traces his finger along, nudging the sugar pot out of the way and tapping over the crude star carved there.

"We should carve our names somewhere. Not here, obviously," Levi adds with a quick glance over at Alyssa, since she's serving a customer near their table and stops to look at him in reproach.

"Maybe a tree or something tomorrow."

"Maybe."

Nico turns back to look out the window as he reins in his laughter, flipping over his hand against the table for Levi to hold. "So. Looks like we're staying in tonight."

"That diner attached to the hotel looks okay? Maybe we can get a sandwich or something later, since we've just had this?" Levi says, scraping up the last of his blondie from his plate.

"Yeah. Maybe."

They talk some more as they wait, even ordering second coffees. But the sky just keeps getting darker, and the rain heavier still. The cafe starts getting crowded with other people doing just as they did, wanting to come in to shelter for the rain. Nico is getting restless, Levi can tell he is from the way he keeps casting furtive glances around the cafe before looking back outside.

"I _think_ ," he says, tapping Nico's hand to get his attention, "we should make a run for it."

Nico smiles at him, that warm, affectionate one that always makes Levi melt. Which is _always_. "Oh, yeah?"

" _Yes_. It can't be more than… three blocks? Five?"

"Promise you won't complain about your hair being _frizzy_ if— _when_ —it gets wet?"

Levi smiles, because why wouldn't he? "I promise not to complain. Though I'd do _better_ about not complaining, if you _helped_ me."

"You want me to dry your hair again?" Nico asks, knowing the answer will always be _yes_. Levi loves it when he plays with his hair, loves nothing more than sitting between his legs on the floor in front of the couch after his shower, letting Nico towel dry his hair and massage over his scalp.

Though their hotel room does have a decent-sized tub that is just _begging_ them to try it out. "We should take a bath first to warm up. We'll get _soaked_ if we run."

"Maybe I bought something for that."

"What?"

"That bubble bath you like," Nico says, still playing with his hand.

Levi can already picture them sinking into that tub, and all the things that will probably follow it. Their bed for the evening, for instance, definitely needs testing. For comfort.

Nico follows when Levi stands up, both of them shrugging back into their jackets and taking a final glance outside. Alyssa receives a large tip which she beams at them for, already clearing away their table before they reach the door.

"Gonna make a run for it?" Nico says as he holds the cafe door open then takes Levi's hand in the entrance as they take their last shelter from the rain.

"Let's do it," Levi agrees, the two of them laughing and calling out to each other as they run, splashing in puddles that wick water into their jeans.


End file.
